Ayodhya dispute final verdict likely by November 17

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi on Friday said that a final verdict in the Ayodhya land dispute case could be announced by November 17, about 100 days from the date of the first hearing.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday said it will the hear the Ayodhya-Babri Masjid title dispute case on a day-to-day basis until a settlement is reached. The mediation talks by a three-member panel, appointed by SC, failed to resolve the dispute.

The mediation panel, formed on March 8, was asked to submit its report till July 31 to continue talks to develop consensus between Hindu and Muslim stakeholders on the temple dispute case.

The panel, led by former apex court judge FM Kalifulla, submitted its report in a sealed cover on Thursday.

The five-judge Constitution bench headed by CJI Gogoi said that the mediation panel was not able to achieve any settlement since none of the stakeholders involved in the dispute were ready to budge from their stance either inside the court or outside.

The apex court has also asked parties appearing in the suits to remain prepared with the pleadings and evidence and give an advance copy to the Registry which shall keep the matter ready before the hearing begins.

The case pertains to 14 appeals are currently pending before the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict which ordered equal division of the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya among the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.